Project Description

Reduction of chemical pesticides production and promotion of non-DDT formulations based on bio-pesticide and water-based formulations using capsule suspension technology

Project number:

US/CPR/08/004 &

SF/CPR/08/005

Starting date:

June 2008

Duration:

2 years

Total Project Budget:

1,119,424 U$

Counterparts:

China International Centre for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE)/Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), China

Nantong Pesticide Formulation Centre, Nantong, Jiangsu Province

Project Description

The use of pesticides has become a necessary tool to protect crops from pest damage and save human and animal lives from vector borne and other diseases. However, technology improvement using environment friendly pesticides and their formulations within the concept of the integrated pest management (IPM) programmes and restrictions placed on the use of hazardous and persistent pesticides such as DDT have reduced the use of such pesticides making them more efficient. Unfortunately many developing countries do not have access to new technology and cannot afford to import expensive modern pesticides and their highly technical formulations.

This proposed project aims to assist China, in particular Nantong Pesticide Formulation Centre (NPFC), to develop newer, safer and more efficient agrochemicals formulations in order to promote the overall reduction of pesticides used and at the same time maintain or increase the overall yield of crops per unit area. NPCF will develop laboratory and pilot scale operations of selected high technology pesticide formulations of biopesticides and others that will be potential replacement for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) pesticides such as DDT and other hazardous pesticides for use in agriculture and public health. Most of these formulations are water-based instead of organic solvent based thereby decreasing the chemical (organic solvent) load in the environment; dust free formulations instead of dusty formulations; encapsulated formulations increasing safety and longer lasting thereby avoiding repeated applications; use of bio/botanical pesticides instead of toxic / persistent pesticides and others. Project activities would involve training in developed countries on recent developments in seed treatment formulations, microencapsulation techniques, develop in-house R&D capabilities and dissemination of results to the developing countries in the region directly and through RENPAP.

The proposed project will also support China’s national priorities in the country’s 11th five year plan to reduce 10% reduction in emission of harmful chemicals by 2010 and strengthen R&D capability and cooperation among enterprises, research institutions and academia.

Along with this, the project outputs would contribute to Millennium Development Goals, such as :•MDG 7 “Ensure Environmental Sustainability”•MDG 8 “Develop Global Partnership for Development•Stockholm Convention on POPs•Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent